Thanksgiving Must-Haves From Trader Joe's

Thanksgiving dinner is known for a lot of things, but being easy to assemble definitely isn’t one of them. Stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes—figuring out the timing of cooking them all in one kitchen and getting them on the table by dinnertime is like a math problem we’d rather not have to figure out. It’s no surprise that to make things a little bit easier, we turn to our grocery-store true love, Trader Joe’s, to help with the heavy lifting.

1. Cranberry sauce

Whether you love it or hate it, no Thanksgiving meal is complete without cranberry sauce on the table.

2. Creamed greens

Whipping up a veggie casserole from scratch isn’t a necessity with this frozen option you can toss in the oven with no hassle. The best part? Even the most judgmental eater at the table won’t know it was frozen first.

3. Turkey sausage stuffing fried rice

This fried rice is a perfect non-traditional side dish to offer to guests and would be a no-brainer to bring to a party so you don’t show up empty handed.

4. Turkey herbs

Cooking a turkey yourself this year? Skip the fuss of rounding up all the herbs you need to flavor it with and pick up this pre-selected assortment instead.

5. Pistachio pomegranate crisps

We’d never say no to a plain cracker with some cheese, but these pistachio pomegranate ones are perfectly festive to make Thanksgiving charcuterie a bit more special.

6. Brie en croute

Before dinner’s ready, pop this in the oven and leave it out for guests to snack on before the big meal.

7. Brined turkey

Skip the mess of pre-ordering or frantically searching for your meal’s bird this year and pick up one of TJ’s instead (we meant it when we said it’s the only place you need to go this year).

8. Turkey and stuffing en croute

If you’re having a smaller party or don’t think your get-together needs a full turkey, this turkey tenderloin wrapped in puff pastry is the perfect compromise—just as delicious but with way less commitment.

9. Green bean casserole bites

Green bean casserole is a love it or hate it kind of thing, but these green bean casserole bites are going to turn even the biggest casserole hater into a convert.

10. Camembert cheese and cranberry sauce bites

These cranberry-sauce-filled bites are begging to be included with your assortment of hors d’oeuvres—and we bet they’ll be the first thing to be completely gone.

11. Cornbread mix

Making cornbread from scratch? Not necessary with this easy-to-bake mix.

12. Corn and chile salsa

For an appetizer that’s a bit less mainstream, this corn salsa (and some chips) is perfect for guests to snack on while mingling.

13. Thanksgiving stuffing seasoned kettle chips

Stuffing-flavored chips? We’re mad we didn’t think of it first, but that isn’t going to stop us from devouring the whole bag.

14. Turkey flavored gravy

Like the package says: Just pour, heat, and serve. Gravy has never been easier.

15. Peeled and cooked chestnuts

Odds are, you probably have a chestnut lover or two in your crowd, and these pre-peeled and cooked ones are perfect to present when dinner is done.

16. Holiday vegetable hash

Adding veggies to your stuffing or soup isn’t necessary, but when they’re pre-cut and presented like this, it’s an easy way to make your side dish a little more delicious.